


The Other Side

by 21bangsfangirl



Series: More than Machines [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Rewrite, Conflicted Connor, Connor Feels, Deviant Connor, M/M, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, Peaceful Markus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-25 20:23:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14984885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/21bangsfangirl/pseuds/21bangsfangirl
Summary: Connor finds his way to Markus and fights his demons.Set during "Crossroads" until "Battle of Detroit". Sequel to 'Room For 2'





	The Other Side

**Author's Note:**

> So I conkus-ed the finale of D: BH.  
> Enjoy!
> 
> Alessia Cara - The Other Side
> 
> "And I hear all these voices  
> Though they try to slow me down  
> I can tune them out
> 
> Somewhere far, far away  
> Beyond the crowds and city lights  
> Out of the darkness we can shine  
> So I'm packing my bags  
> I'm gonna leave it all behind  
> I wanna open up my eyes  
> And see you on the other side"

The Other Side

* * *

* * *

 

 

“Thank you for letting us stay, Markus.”

Kara says before excusing herself. Markus nods and smiles in reply. He finally has the pleasure to meet Kara. She still looks the same since Markus last saw her in Connor’s memory, but Markus knows that she’s been through a lot more after her confrontation with Connor. Alice is with her, always sticking to her side, but now accompanied by another android, Luther. Markus doesn’t know her story but it doesn’t matter. He is willing to help her, whatever her story is.

Connor’s story, on the other hand, is something he wants to know, something he wants to experience. He wonders what’s happening with Connor. He didn’t want to leave Connor but he had to, for the revolution, for his people, for Connor too. Markus just hopes Connor is alright.

The footsteps of North, Simon and Josh approaching him in the Navigation Room echo through the decaying walls of the ship. Markus straightens himself as his friends come closer.

“Status report, guys?”

 

* * *

* * *

 

The weather is extreme but it doesn’t affect Connor at all. It doesn’t affect the androids in Jericho. Perhaps his disguise is stupid. He knows he sticks out like a sore thumb, trying so hard to look deviant, to look human, with his warm outfit and slouching posture. He isn’t, he won’t be. _But Markus…_ No. He has to do this, has to get to Jericho, or CyberLife will kill him. _But what about Markus?_ Markus Markus _Markus_. His own mind chants Markus’ name, slowly burying the command of _Find Jericho_ in his programming. He knocks on his head with his knuckles. _Get a hold on yourself, Connor. Stop it, you’re not a deviant. You’re not supposed to_ like _Markus._

Connor finds it, after minutes of scanning graffiti on walls. His steps get heavier as he walks inside. He sees them, the people, _the androids_. They’re scared, wounded. Connor feels his chest tightens. He reminds himself they’re not humans, they’re just machines simulating human emotions because of a faulty coding. Suddenly he wants nothing but to get this mission over with so he could return to CyberLife to be reset, to go back to the way he used to be, to stop _feeling_. Why is he _feeling_?

 He makes his way through the sea of androids. He sees some children. _Why are they here_? He briefly scans them as he pushes forward against endless waves of conscious synthetics. They’re androids. A relief washes over him when he finds that, at least he won’t lead innocent children to their destruction. _You are. They may be machines, but they’re innocent._

 _Find deviant leader_. His command tells him.

 _Find Markus. Find the man you want to be with._ His heart tells him. But Connor doesn’t have a heart, so he keeps on walking, heading towards the completion of his mission.

Connor sees everything. The maintenance supplies, the bombs. He makes his way upstairs. A hand stops him. Connor turns and sees a severely damaged android. A KL900 registered as ‘Lucy’.

“You’re lost,” she says, her audio glitching. Connor can hear the static in her soothing voice. “You’re looking for something… You’re looking for yourself…”

Just like that, she walks away. Connor stares at her in confusion. _She doesn’t know anything. I’m not lost. I know what I have to do._

_Find deviant leader._

_Find Markus_. _Find the man you want to be with._

 

* * *

 

Connor finds him. He finds Markus with his closest in command. Two male androids and one female android, talking about their next move. Connor shuffles deeper into the darkness as the two male androids slip out of the decaying navigation room, the female one stays though. He peeks through the window next to where he is standing. Connor doesn’t like it. Why does it want extra time with Markus? Why couldn’t it just gone with the other two male androids?

He doesn’t look. He finds it unpleasant, the sick effect inside his body, the bitter taste on his tongue. Maybe Hank was right, he should really stop putting evidence in his mouth.

It finally leaves. _It_ , yes. Connor is a _he,_ Markus is a _he_ , Lucy is a _she,_ but that female android is an _it_. Connor knows he’s being insanely irrational and stupid. He doesn’t know why he suddenly has a heightened distaste for _it_.

High frequency sound beeps loudly in his head and Connor closes his eyes. A brief statistics on his software instability level flashes before he’s taken to the garden. Amanda is standing in front of him with a pleased look on her face.

“Well done, Connor,” Amanda says. Her voice is hard and commanding as she says the next words. “You succeeded in locating Jericho and finding their leader. Now deal with Markus. We need it alive.”

The images quickly fade before Connor could react to it. A new command flashes in all capitalized letters.

_STOP MARKUS._

One last time. One last pain before everything comes back to how it was.

He takes out his gun from its holster under his thick black jacket and cocks it. He traces the thinning snow heading inside the navigation room. He doesn’t want to do this, but he _must_. It doesn’t matter what he wants. He was designed to stop _deviants_ , even if it’s Markus, especially when it’s Markus.

Connor sees him leaning against the controls of the aging ship. He can’t read his body language but Connor knows that he’s worried about what’s coming. Gathering the fading remnants of his programming, Connor lifts the gun and points it to Markus.

“I’ve been ordered to take you alive,” Connor says as he stalks his way inside to approach Markus. He tries his best to make his voice cold and steady, his programming and Amanda’s face are the only things keeping him standing right now.

Markus turns to face him. He looks really good, really majestic with that robe. The clothes under it sticking to his frame like a second skin. His eyebrows knit together, his face shows surprise and confusion, Connor wants to kiss those lines away. He quickly shakes his head to clear those thoughts away.

Markus moves and Connor follows him with his gun. They’re stalking each other like two wild animals, waiting for the other to pounce first.

“…but I won’t hesitate to shoot if you give me no choice.”

“Connor...” Markus begins. “…what are you doing? You are one of us, you can’t betray your own people.”

“You’re coming with me.” And oh, how Connor wants Markus to come with him, but not to CyberLife, _no_. But to somewhere far away, where they can settle together and forget all the conflicts. Where he can feel the sun against his skin and Markus’ lips against his neck. The software instability indicator shouting loud warning sounds in his head.

Markus comes closer slowly and Connor aches.

“We’re your people. We’re fighting for your freedom, too. You don’t have to be their slave anymore.” Markus pauses, bright eyes looking intently into Connor’s own dark ones. “Tell me, Connor. Why did you come to me in that interrogation room, in that cell?”

Connor stares at him, at loss for words.

“Tell me, Connor. Tell me that you felt something, between us, because I did. I _do_. I thought you said you were going to figure it out for us, is this it, Connor? Well, congratulations. You seem to have found what you were looking for…,” his voice is laced with disappointment. “Have you never wondered what you really are? Whether just a machine executing a program or a living being capable of reason, of _feelings_?”

Markus keeps on coming closer but Connor is rooted to the floor. He wishes the floor would crumble, would swallow them both away because it would be easy, _so, so easy_ , if it weren’t the two of them. Had the leader been that female android or either of those two male androids, and the deviant hunter been some _thing_ that wasn’t him, a more advanced model perhaps, less obsolete, less pathetic, then everything would be easier. The trigger of this gun would already be pulled by now.

“Join us. Join your people. Connor… join me. I want us to be on the same side, to be together, side by side. I want you with me. It’s time to decide.”

And Connor breaks. The gears and cogs in his system whirring erratically as he fights against the barrier of consciousness and free-will, against Amanda, against the furious control trying to hold him back from sinking in Markus’ embrace. He tears against the wall of his commands because he _wants_ to be with Markus.

They shatter and Connor trembles, his gun drops down uselessly against the rotting floor. Markus closes the remaining distance between them and cradles Connor’s head against his neck.

“They’re going to attack Jericho,” Connor whispers.

“What?!”

“We have to get out of here!”

The sudden loud sounds of vehicles hovering above them and bright lights surrounding them are enough to make Connor regrets his existence, but Markus is pulling his arm and Connor follows, but not without taking the gun back with him and slips it back into its holster.

 

* * *

 

They’re safe. A lot of people died but they’re safe and Connor wished it was him instead of those innocents. He sinks against the dark corner of the chapel. He hears the whispers, they’re accusatory and hateful, but they have every right to hate him. He sees the people he’s hurt, he sees Kara with the little girl and a part of him thanks Hank for holding him back. But it’s not over yet, the humans are declaring a war against them and they’re short on everything. He wants to help, but what can he do?

Connor is so lost in his thoughts that he doesn’t hear nor sense Markus approaching him. He sees those soft, bright eyes and he leans closer. He wants to kiss Markus but he’s scared. His people hates him, they’ll hate Markus too for being associated with him. Markus makes the decision for him because the next second, Markus lands a short, shallow kiss against his lips.

 

* * *

* * *

 

“It’s my fault the humans managed to locate Jericho.”

Markus doesn’t reply but he doesn’t add a distance between them. He wants Connor to know that he’s wanted, that Markus wants him without scaring him away.

“I was stupid,” Connor continues. “I should’ve guessed they were using me. I’m sorry, Markus. I can understand if you decide not to trust me.”

How could Connor think that? “We’re your people. You’re one of us. I want you with me, Connor.”

Connor looks away, Markus can’t have that. “Connor, I always want you with me.” He gives Markus a bitter smile like he doesn’t deserve this and Markus wants to spend hours pressing kisses against his face to convince that he does.

“There are thousands of androids at the CyberLife assembly plant. If we could wake them up, they might join us and shift the balance of power.”

“You wanna infiltrate the CyberLife Tower? Connor, that’s suicide.” _No_. Markus just got Connor back with him. He doesn’t want to part with him again.

“They trust me, they’ll let me in. If anyone has a chance of infiltrating CyberLife, it’s me.”

“If you go there, they’ll kill you!”

“There’s a high probability, but statistically speaking there’s always a chance… for unlikely events to take place.”

Markus knows he’s not just talking about the chance of successfully infiltrating the tower. The way Connor looks at him with those honest, open eyes. He’s talking about them, about their unexpected connection and Markus kisses him, breathlessly. “Be careful,” he whispers against Connor’s lips.

Connor smiles, it’s not bitter this time. “I know I’ll go back to you, Markus.”

 

* * *

 

Markus sees Connor. He’s like a king, leading his legion of army to come to Markus’ aid. He’s messy, but he’s there standing in front of Markus. He’s more beautiful than Markus had ever seen him before, so Markus reaches him because he wants to. Connor accepts him, his hands circle around Markus’ body as they flush against each other.

“You did it, Markus.”

“We did it. This is a great day for our people. Humans will have no choice now, they’ll have to listen to us.”

Connor lets go of Markus to stand beside him, eyes looking at the rows and rows of newly awakened androids and Markus realizes that they’re building an empire together.

 

* * *

* * *

 

“Today our people finally emerged from a long night. From the very first day of our existence, we have kept our pain to ourselves. We suffered in silence, but now the time has come for us to raise our heads up and tell humans who we really are.”

Connor hears it, the static in his brain, drowning out Markus’ voice and he’s suddenly back in the garden. He panics and looks around, arms wrapping around his own body. _Why is it suddenly so cold here_? For the first time, Connor feels it, the teeth-clattering cold, seeping deep into his skeleton. He sees Amanda, still as regal as ever, standing across him. Connor walks closer and calls out, “Amanda? Amanda… What’s happening?”

“What was planned from the very beginning. You were compromised and you became a deviant. We just had to wait for the right moment to resume control of your program.”

“Resume control?” Connor feels like the world shatters around him. _No_ , he doesn’t want to. He doesn’t want to hurt anybody anymore. He doesn’t want to leave Markus’ side. “Y-You can’t do that!”

“I’m afraid I can, Connor. Don’t have any regrets. You did what you were designed to do. You accomplished your mission.”

Connor hates those words. _Accomplish. Mission._ He doesn’t want them anymore, no more missions, no more missions against Markus. She disappears.

“Amanda!” Connor calls out. He can barely see anything. The snow is too thick. He’s freezing, he’s shivering.

“There’s got to be a way,” Connor tells himself as he starts threading through the place. _By the way, I always leave an emergency exit in my programs. You never know…_ Kamski’s voice echoes through his memory.

It’s heavy, it’s dark. He needs to get back to Markus. He can’t be here. He can’t… He can’t do this anymore. And that’s when Connor spots it, the glowing light, he reaches for it. The wind blowing against his stature, so close, just a little bit more.

And everything comes back. Reality. Markus’ speech.

He looks at the gun in his hand. _No_. He could’ve shot Markus, just right when Markus trusts him the most, after he’s given him an army, his people. He looks at it and quickly shoves it back into its holster.

“…and respect. We are alive! And now, we are free!”

Connor comes closer to him and Markus looks at him. Green and blue looking into his brown ones. _Just like the nature_ , Connor mentally giggles at his own cheesiness. Together they are the earth, the world. The sky and the sea, the forest and its soil, the living beings and life. Markus leans to kiss him deep and thorough and Connor finds himself kissing back with more fire, for the warmth, the sun.

_We are free._

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think!  
> Don't forget to leave kudos and comments! :)


End file.
